The legislation, which goes into effect Aug. 1, makes Minnesota the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage.

“What a difference a year and an election make in Minnesota!” Dayton said to the jubilant crowd of thousands spilling down the State Capitol steps and across the street to the mall below.

“By your political courage, you join the that pantheon of exceptional leaders, who did something extraordinary — you changed the course of history for our state and nation,” Dayton told assembled Democratic lawmakers gathered around the podium.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton signed legislation late afternoon on Tuesday (May 14) legalizing same-sex marriage in Minnesota. The legislation goes into effect Aug. 1. Standing behind the governor center is Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, Senate marriage legislation bill author. Standing left of Dibble is Richard Leyva, Dibble’s husband. Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, who carried the legislation in the House stands to the right of Dibble. Standing next Clark is her partner, Jacquelyn Zita. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Dayton signed the marriage legislation shortly after 5 p.m. with the gleaming State Capitol dome as a backstop. Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, Senate bill author, and Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, House author, stood next to the governor as he signed the historic legislation.

Both gay legislators had their partners at their side.

“This is so much about family,” Clark said.

Dibble spoke admiringly of the enduring spirit of same-sex marriage advocates. “I’ve seen your energy grow with every step and every step back,” he said.

House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said the word that came to mind thinking about the struggle over marriage was the word “faith.”

He credited legislators with advancing the marriage bill, “especially those four brave Republicans in the House,” he said.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton applauds while delivering a brief address at the bill signing. On the far left is Rep. Carolyn Laine, DFL-Columbia Heights. A number of are lawmakers attended the ceremony. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Thissen acknowledged the votes cast by Republicans representatives Jenifer Loon of Eden Prairie, and Pat Garofalo of Farmington, and two other House Republicans drew a loud cheer from the crowd.

In the Senate, Sen. Branden Petersen, R-Andover, was the sole Republican voting for the legislation Monday as it cleared its last legislative hurdle.

An April KSTP/SurveyUSA poll showed a bare majority of Minnesotans, 51 percent, favored changing state law to legalize same-sex marriage.

According to The Williams Institute’s analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, there were some 10,207 same-sex couples living in Minnesota, representing 4.9 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota ranks 23rd among the states and Washington D.C. in terms of same-sex couples.

North Dakota and South Dakota had the lowest percentages, with Delaware, Massachusetts, Vermont, California and Oregon having the highest.

According to the U.S. Census 2010 American Community Survey, there are about 594,000 same-sex couple households in the United States.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton pauses to shake hands with a child atop an adults shoulders. Dayton, like other lawmakers, heard people in the crowd shouting “Thank you!” and “We got your back.” The latter shout meant the lawmakers political support wouldn’t wane. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Out of these households, some 115,000 reported having children.

About one quarter of same-sex couple households reported they were spouses.

In states with same-sex marriage, about 42 percent of same-sex couple households were reported as spouses as compared to about 28 percent for states with domestic partnerships or civil unions, and about 23 percent for all other states.

Between 2000 to 2010, the number of same-sex couple households in Minnesota increased around 50 percent, according to the Survey.